The invention relates to devices for removing attached parts from the stalk of a plant, such as Brussels sprouts, comprising separation means, consisting of an annular member having an opening the centerline of which substantially coincides with the desired transport trajectory of the plants, and of a number of cutting members which are provided with knives and which are pivotally connected to the annular member in such a way that they can move in a plane perpendicular to the centerline, while the cutting edges of the knives lay substantially along a cylindrical plane, concentrically with the annular member, and of means for pulling the successive stalks through the opening of the annular member.
Such a device is commonly knowledge and similar devices are suited for advanced automation, which not only reduce the expenses, but also augment the safety in using these devices. In general it is far to dangerous to introduce plants into such a device by hand.
The object of the invention is to provide a device which is particularly useful for removing Brussels sprouts from a stalk with a minimum of manual labor.
According to the invention a first step in the direction of the final object, e.g. automation, is achieved with a device, of in which the means of pulling the plants through the device, consists of a cylindrical shaped pulling member substantially concentric to the annular member mentioned above, and which can be moved in an axial direction between a first, front position in between the knives and a second rear position far behind the annular member.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the separation means consist of an annular supporting member, which in operation rotates around its centerline, and of a number of bell crank levers pivotally connected to the supporting member, with each bell crank lever having one leg which lies tangentially to the surface of the support member and a second arm which carries a knife, such that from each bell crank lever during rotation the tangentially orientated arm points forwardly and as a result of the centrifugal force moves outwardly while consequently the second arm together with the knife moves inwardly towards the centerline. The invention also includes an annular auxiliar member, which is concentrically disposed inside the supporting member, the second arm of each bell crank lever being connected to this auxiliary member by means of a tenon and mortise joint. Also provided are brake means which can act on the auxiliary member to obtain a relative displacement of the auxiliary member with respect to the driven supporting member, such that consequently the arms with the knife will move outwardly.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the pull means consist of a cylindrical part with an outer diameter which is less than the diameter of the cylindrical opening of the separation member and inside the cylindrical part means are included to catch the bottom part of a stalk. So the pulling means can partly pass through the center of the separation member. With this device it is no longer needed to introduce the plants by hand. This augments the safety of the device. The catch means consist of a conical hole, inside the cylindrical part of the pull means narrowing toward the end. One or more ridges are provided on the inside surface of the hole pointing inwardly. An ejection peg can be placed in the center of the cylindrical part.
The device can also be equiped with guide means for guiding a plant into the pull means.
The guide means consist, in a prefered embodiment, of a funnel shaped member, composed of two halves of a funnel of which each half can be moved on either side of the annular member in a direction between an angle of 20.degree. and 90.degree. with the centerline of the annular member.
The guide means may include a movable push co-operating with a moving belt. The plants are introduced automatically into the pull means. The flap is attached to a piston-rod, which is attached to a tube of rectangular cross-section and which slides in a second tube also of rectangular cross-section. The second tube pivots upon a spindle which is perpendicular to the axis of the second tube, while the spindle is connected to a framework so that the push will not revolve about the axis of the piston rod.
According to an other embodiment of the invention an annular intermediate supporting member is fixed to the supporting member and an annular intermediate auxiliar member is fixed to the auxiliar member, while the bell crank levers are pivotally connected to the intermediate supporting member as well as to the intermediate auxiliar member, so the front part of the separation means can easily be replaced.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention each knife has the form of a dagger-knife, one side of the blade being a flat plane. The cutting edge of the knife is in this plane.
According to an other embodiment of the invention each knife is divided into two parts. Each part has one flat side with each flat side being substantially parallel to each other. If the tip of the knife is closer to the centerline of the device than, due to the small friction surface, the stalk of the plant will be hollowed better. If the tip part of the knife is farther away from the centerline of the device than the other parts and if both part of the blade of the knife have a cutting edge, it is possible to cut of the sprout from the tail with the first edge and to cut of the tail from the stalk with the second cutting edge of the knife.
The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.